


Come Marching Home

by RainKandySux



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Sexual Content, Original Character(s), Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:47:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23830078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainKandySux/pseuds/RainKandySux
Summary: Princess Mahini of Ba Sing Se watched her sister take her own life after she was told that her lover, Fire Nation enemy Lu Ten, was killed in battle. Since that day, Mahini couldn't wait to escape the nightmares of the capital. She didn't understand that she was running from the possibility of affection herself until her journey placed her beside a different Fire Prince: Zuko. How would she handle the realization of her newfound feelings and what happens when love ends in tragedy just as she always thought?(OC details in first chapter)
Relationships: Lu Ten & Original Female Character(s), Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Come Marching Home

**Author's Note:**

> I recently started re-watching A:TLA and it reminded me of the huge crush I used to have on Zuko when I was fifteen lololol. Anywho, it also reminded of a little fic I wanted to write back then. So, I decided to go ahead and make those old teenaged dreams a reality! There will be moments that are not canonically correct for obvious reasons.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with ATLA. Only my OC!

**OC Details:**

**Princess Mahini (Sanskrit for "mighty, great")**

**Hair: Yellow (touched by a spirit)**

**Eye Color: Sea foam green**

**Height: 4'10"**

**Bending: Earth**

**Age: 12 during intro; 16 now**

* * *

_**Siege of Ba Sing Se** _

The king of the Earth Nation irately paced in his throne room as he watched his eldest daughter succumb to despair. She was currently collapsed in a heap of inconsolable sobbing as her desperate breaths led her into a fit of hyperventilation. Her brother's last breaths admitted to the murder of her lover, Lu Ten.

Her brother had violently battled General Iroh's son after he had caught him meeting his sister in secrecy. The Earth prince soon passed away following the injuries he sustained from the intense battle with Lu Ten.

Unbeknownst to the young prince, the man he had killed in rage had been in the process of arranging a peace treaty that would guarantee that the Fire Nation would stay out of Earth affairs: an arranged marriage between himself and the prince's eldest sister.

The lovers' treasured romance crumbled as quickly as General Iroh's siege that day as death won against the two warring nations.

The broken woman finally stood, shoulders still trembling along with her silent sobs. Mahini, the Earth king's youngest child, solemnly trailed after her big sister. Her bright, sea-green eyes widened as her sister, the person she admired above all, took off an intricately made necklace Lu Ten had given his love as a token of his affection and lowered it for her to hold.

To Mahini's horror, the woman spared her one last glance with her rich, emerald eyes before stepping into the tower's window and out into the summer's wind. Within twenty-four hours, the twelve-year-old princess of the royal family lost her two oldest siblings and decided that love was just another word for tragedy.

* * *

_**4 Years Later in Gaoling** _

Mahini tossed and turned as the nightmare of her sister's suicide forced her awake from her afternoon nap. She fingered at the necklace her sister had entrusted her with as she groaned in annoyance.

She was no longer in that cursed city of Ba Sing Se and hadn't been for over three months. As soon as she was of marrying age, sixteen according to Earth Kingdom laws, she abandoned the capital and moved in with some of her distant relatives—the Beifong's.

"Mahini?! Another suitor sent in a request to see you tonight!" Her Aunt Poppy exclaimed.

Unfortunately, this was a common situation ever since she decided to use her 'availability' as an excuse to run away from her kingdom. Many were seeking her out due to her royalty, but she knew there was more to it than that. They all wanted to see the 'Beauty of Ba Sing Se' regardless of her family affiliation.

How did she get such an egotistical title? Her horrendously colored hair. The bizarre shade of yellow made it impossible to hide anywhere. She had traveled throughout the Earth kingdom and had yet to meet anyone that shared the strange mutation. Maybe the extinct Air Nomads had the gene for it, and no one knew because they kept their heads shaved.

She had been told of another story about it though. Apparently a week after she had been born, a thief had taken her bundled up form thinking that she was a coin bag. Once he realized his grave error, he quickly abandoned her by the mouth of a cave located northwest of the capital. A forest spirit of some sort found her and took pity of her vulnerable form.

According to her father's tale, the spirit's proximity to her had caused her hair to change. There were several people she had met that had supposedly entered the spirit world and they all had white hair. It was possible that the yellowing of her own locks was a direct result of her being influenced by the realm without actually being in it.

Either way, she was a freak of nature and she hated the golden strands that were currently tangled loosely around her elbows. The only distinguishing feature she possessed that would place her as an Earth Nation native were the sea-foam green eyes she was currently rolling as her Aunt called out to her again. The strong-willed nature of the annoyed girl was certainly a trait embedded into her Earth lineage too, but she would certainly deny that she was stubborn to anyone that brought that fact up.

"Can't we just skip this one? I've already met with two this week. We all know that I'm going to hate him anyway," Mahini muttered as her cousin, Toph, giggled.

Toph idolized Mahini. She was the only person that had ever treated her like an equal, despite the elder being of a higher title. She was the only person that didn't see Toph's blindness as a handicap. She was the only person that pushed her into seriously pursuing earthbending after Toph had confessed her secret rendezvous she had with badgermoles six years ago.

"I suppose we could schedule him for next week," Aunt Poppy sighed.

The woman genuinely adored her niece. If she were being honest, the princess was an asset. Mahini took care of Toph better than she. It took a lot of strain off the already anxiety prone mother too.

"Thank you, Aunt Poppy!" Mahini smiled graciously before taking Toph's hand and running outside with the smaller girl.

"Do you think my parents will ever find out about what we've been doing?" Toph laughed as the two hurriedly removed their silk shoes and long robes.

"Hmmm, my gut says they will but my spirit says 'who cares'!" Mahini grinned as they practiced bending before the big tournament Toph was entered in that night.

The sixteen-year-old smiled down at her cousin. She had high expectations from the prodigy. Mahini was a superb bender herself after she had trained with King Bumi, but no one other than Toph and the king in Ba Sing Se knew of her talents. Still, she had zero doubts that the tiny girl across from her would surpass her soon.

Toph was one hell of a force to be reckoned with and that was an undeniable truth.

"Are you ready to kick some thick-headed rock butts?" Mahini asked after the two sparred.

"You bet I am!"

"I kinda feel bad for them. But only kinda," the blonde laughed as they snuck away from the gardens of their home and towards the tournament.

Mahini adjusted the fan-like hair piece that was adorning her _qitou_ styled hair irritably. There were two things she and Toph had in common: their distaste in wearing clothes of nobility and the expectations that came along with that, and their inability to hold their tongue.

She wished she were Toph at this moment. Her cousin looked so comfortable with her feet free on the ground and the short garments not weighing her down. The only benefit of dressing like the royalty she was, was so that they could enter wherever they pleased without question. Questions led to conversation and neither wanted their adventuring reported back to Toph's parents.

Her lightgreen eyes scanned the crowd around her to gather any news about the war. Two men to her left gossiped about some strange looking refugees taking shelter in a cave located on the outskirts of the city. One had a strange scar marring the left side of his face while the other was old in age and had a beard styled like a Fire Nation native.

She took note and wondered if the stories she had heard about a banished prince and his dishonored uncle being forced to hunt the Avatar in order to get the prince's honor back were true.

_General Iroh?_ Mahini wondered as she fingered her sister's necklace. Were they as terrifying as her people said? There was always a sliver of doubt that kept her from believing it. Her sister had loved The Dragon of the West's son. If he were evil, then that wouldn't have been a possibility.

She needed to know the face of the man that her eldest brother had wronged. For her sister's sake, she needed to know that Lu Ten's father forgave her brother for what he did. She wouldn't be able to rest until she got rid of the gloomy cloud from her past.

She blinked back at the tournament's stage to focus on her cousin. She was her priority, not some random man that may not even be the retired general.

What transpired next was not what either girls expected. The Avatar himself was seeking an earthbending master and interrupted Toph's competition over it. The poor kid didn't realize what he was asking.

"I'm Aang and these are my friends Katara and Sokka," the tattooed boy eagerly smiled as he introduced his gang.

Mahini decided to entertain the odd trio harassing her cousin much to Toph's displeasure.

"I'm Mahini and this is my cousin Toph."

"Whoa! I've never seen hair like yours before!" Aang blurted as Sokka poked at Mahini's hair with his boomerang as if it was going to bite him.

_There goes my theory about it being an air nomad trait_ , Mahini thought as she swatted the boomerang away from her head.

"Yeah, yeah spirit-kissed and what not. So, earthbending huh? Isn't that going to be...I don't know...hard for you to learn with it being your opposite? Earth and Air are like mortal enemies," Mahini teased as Toph continued to pout in the direction she could hear her cousin.

"Aang is a very capable student!" Katara stated enthusiastically, hoping it would encourage the strange haired girl into siding with them over her family.

"I'm sure he is. But, if Toph isn't interested, then she isn't interested. You'll have to excuse us. It's late and we have a long day tomorrow," Mahini advised as she led Toph away.

Toph opted to spend the night with Mahini. It was rare that the two shared space since they were both used to being isolated. The uncharacteristic behavior meant something was bothering the younger girl.

"What's wrong, Toph?" Mahini finally voiced.

"I've been thinking about his offer."

"I think you should do it."

"But my parents...you know they aren't going to let me go."

"They might if I tag along."

"Why? They just think you're a princess. They don't even know you can bend. They would tell us that it isn't safe and that you need to be here to find a suitable husband to take back to Ba Sing Se and blah blah blah," Toph sighed.

Mahini sighed too. The girl wasn't wrong.

The Beifong family wasn't exactly ready for what happened the next day. Mahini sat in silent contemplation while the members of Aang's party discussed the issue over dinner with her family. When the meal was over, Toph and Mahini met with Aang outside.

"If you need a master so bad, Mahini can teach you," Toph finally spat, frustrated that the Avatar wouldn't leave her alone about it.

"You can bend Earth too?" Katara stated. The hinted surprise did not go unnoticed by the pale-haired teenager. Why wouldn't she be able to?

"Who do you think's been keeping that one sharp this whole time?" Mahini challenged, "I'm a horrible teacher though. I don't have the patience to bother with someone so _flighty_. Deal with this yourself Toph. I'm not the one that got pushed out of bounds by a goofy _airbender_."

"What? You can't leave me here!"

"Oh, but I can little cousin. Goodnight and good luck with convincing her," Mahini laughed.

Katara and her brother Sokka opted to leave the two pre-teens alone as well. Naturally, the two were kidnapped when Xin Fu, the tournament leader who had been eavesdropping on the children, no longer felt threatened by the older teens who had left.

Mahini would never admit it, but she had slept through the entire ordeal. Her aunt and uncle were frantically out searching for their 'fragile' daughter as they had phrased it all while the second in line to the throne of the Earth kingdom snored obnoxiously in her bedroom.

It wasn't until Toph stomped back to her room after furiously arguing with her parents that Mahini had even known anything dramatic had gone down during her slumber. Several minutes passed before she decided to check in on the angry girl.

"I see you have decided to aid the Avatar," Mahini replied softly.

"My parents still think I'm weak and can't take care of myself. I can't live like this anymore, Mahini."

"I'm proud of you, Toph. This is the smartest thing you've ever done. Let me gather my things as well."

"Does this mean you're coming too?!"

"I'm going to see you off, but I'll be taking another direction. This is my chance to get away from any unwanted betrothals and finally get that taste of freedom we've both wanted. Your parents will be too afraid to tell my brother that I've gone missing, so I better take advantage of the liberty while I can."

Soon, the two earthbenders were at the massive flying bison.

"Oh, yay! Are you joining us too? I would love to outnumber the guys!" Katara cheerfully greeted them.

"I don't think I could stomach flying. Besides, Toph needs to do this on her own. She'll never feel like she's truly independent if I'm there watching her," Mahini replied, pulling Toph aside.

"I'm going to miss you, okay?"

"I'm going to miss you too, but, where exactly are you going to go? What if...what if I need you?"

"I need to return this," Mahini frowned as she pointed at the necklace tied around her neck. "And if you doubt yourself, just remember what I told you to say."

"That I am the world's greatest earthbender. Your argument is invalid."

"That's right! Remember to bathe and clean your teeth. Also, comb your hair every once in a while. Please make sure you wash your clothes too because we get really dusty bending dirt, you know?"

"Ugh you're starting to sound like mom."

"Oh gross, I'm sorry! I just... I just want you to take care. I'm sure we'll be bumping into each other later, bye little flying boar of the Beifong family!"

Toph nodded in understanding. The blonde waved as Aang called out a "yip yip" to carry the only other family member she liked away. The others she had loved were dead and she prayed that Toph wouldn't follow suit. Oh, how she prayed for the girl's safety.

It didn't take long for Mahini to locate the shelter the 'refugees' had bunkered down in. An older, squat of a man sat sipping tea. His beard was styled in the Fire custom and his age seemed to match the man she was searching for.

The younger one she had heard mentioned wasn't there, but she was relieved. She didn't want anyone else to see her moment of humility. It would make her appear delicate and the small Earth Kingdom princess did not want that.

She took a deep breath before removing the necklace and stepping close enough for the man to notice her. He smiled kindly, encouraging her to come nearer. The young woman did not seem aware that his nephew had returned nor of the offensive stance he had taken behind her.

"I am looking for a retired general," she stated with more confidence than she honestly had. She knew that the man would understand her meaning if he was indeed the person she was after.

"I am honored that such a beautiful young woman like yourself would be searching for me. Your eyes remind me of the late King of Ba Sing Se. It's a very specific shade of green one would say."

She dropped to her knees with his words, taking a deep bow as she raised her hands to reveal the necklace his son had picked out specifically for her sister. She wasn't one to cry so easily, but the tears she had held back since she was twelve finally came rolling down.

"General Iroh," she began through soft sobs, "I am sorry about Lu Ten."

Zuko blinked in surprise behind her before relaxing. The girl didn't seem to be a threat, especially not while she was on the ground crying like a baby.

"What is this, sweet girl? Please do not cry. What happened was out of your control."

"It was my brother that killed him," she cried harder as the elder man finally took the necklace she held up to him.

"But it was not you. Come here and have some tea. It always warms the heart," he smiled.

Mahini rubbed her face with the sleeve of her gown before scooting closer to the tea set.

"As happy as I am to have a piece of my son's heart with me, it is concerning that your older sister gave it to you. Did she find another suitor after his passing?"

_He doesn't know?_ Mahini inwardly gasped.

"She...um...my sister took her life that same day," she whispered as she began to cry again.

Prince Zuko studied her as his uncle frowned.

"A heavy heart can lead to reckless choices. It does not please me to hear of her passing. Does this mean that you are the heir of Ba Sing Se?"

Zuko's apprehension of the unique beauty changed to concern at the news. She looked wealthy, but a princess level of nobility was unexpected. What was she doing out and about on her own?

"I am the youngest. My only other sibling is currently holding the honor as king. The city isn't something I wanted to be a part of. I wanted to see the real world and not the inside of a palace the rest of my life."

"You're of marrying age now, I see. You must have used that as an excuse to run away from your past instead of dealing with it head on. Fleeing is a very unusual response for an Earth Kingdom native."

"Who said I was running away from anything?!" Mahini scoffed as she slammed the teacup down.

"Ah, there's the temperament I was waiting for," Iroh chuckled at the girl's crinkled forehead.

"My temperament is well mannered and pleasant thank you very much," the blonde stated dryly, pulling her sudden outburst back in as she crossed her arms.

"Whatever your personality is, it won't protect you. Someone as small as you shouldn't be traveling alone, especially not looking like nobility. And your hair! You'd be spotted out in a crowd a mile away," Zuko finally alerted her of his presence.

"What does my size have to do with anything! I could take you down without breaking a sweat. I brought less fancier clothes and hair dye to blend in," Mahini explained in exasperation before she turned to give the kid a piece of her mind.

She had heard the descriptions of how beautiful Fire Nation civilians were plenty of times before, but she assumed they were exaggerated like her own title. She wasn't expecting to be taken aback by her physical attraction to the guy that sassed her. At once, she understood why her sister had fallen so easily for Lu Ten. The boy she was seconds from scolding was more of a man than she had realized.

His hair was such a rich shade of ebony that it rivaled the beauty of the onyx ring she wore on her right index finger. She caught herself staring into his amber hued irises, her heart skipping a beat. The red flesh scaring the left side of his face did not take away from his handsome features. If anything, it made him more appealing, more _dangerous,_ more _exciting_.

Prince Zuko cleared his throat as his own eyes studied the young woman sitting beside his uncle. Her complexion was tanner than most nobles of his own nation. He found the warmth of her skin tone welcoming. Her unblinking eyes staring up at him reminded him of the ocean-green waves that would steadily hit the shore of the beach he had visited as a child. It went without saying, that the strange golden hue of the long hair she had wrapped up and pinned with ornate hair pieces was the most stunning thing about her.

"You think you can take me on? With what, your hair pins?" He mocked to cover up his obvious attraction for her. He smirked as he noticed the blush across her cheeks.

"Prince Zuko, I would advise you to sit and join us for a cup of tea. It is not in your best interest to instigate the _Beauty of Ba Sing Se_. She was a pupil of the mad King Bumi of Omashu. Your sister is also small and is an exceptional bender must I remind you?" Iroh stated matter of factly.

"How do you know who my teacher was?" Mahini asked with an eyebrow raised.

"That is nothing I can explain today. Will you be joining us on your journey of the world?" Iroh replied with a question of his own.

"There is no us, Uncle. I've been meaning to talk to you..." Mahini dismissed herself from the private conversation. She knew goodbyes and the young man was certainly setting himself up for one.

She found a secluded area to remove her uncomfortable gown before slipping into the nearby river. She took advantage of the aloneness to use the powdered dye to coat her long, thick hair before bathing. Ten minutes later, she was clean, her hair an ashy shade of brown, and her body was wrapped in a thinner, shorter, dark green dress along with matching green pants that tied at her shins.

She parted her hair down the middle and braided each half before wrapping them up into buns using the hairpins she brought from home.

A few minutes passed before Zuko approached her leaning form hesitantly. He decidedly hated the new hair color on her, but knew it was a necessary change for the woman.

"Will you please stay with us tonight before we split paths tomorrow?" He asked kindly, unlike his usual aggressive tone.

"I am grateful for the offer. I didn't really plan ahead for when I returned the jewelry back to your uncle," she smiled sheepishly as she followed him back to the camp.

She watched in awe as Zuko lit the campfire with his bending. He knew it was unnecessary, but he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to impress her. The three ate in polite silence before Mahini prepared a mat farther into the cave.

The two Firebenders exchanged snickers at the unexpected sloppiness she displayed as her snoring echoed the walls of the hideaway while she kicked out across her sleeping bag and halfway onto the one Zuko had laid out beside hers.

"Do you think we can trust her? How do we know she isn't going to report back to the Earth king of our whereabouts?" Zuko frowned as he cleaned up the camp before getting some sleep himself; not that he was planning on sleeping well with the wild woman taking up all the space and being so loud.

"She wouldn't have returned Lu Ten's gift if she were going to betray us."

The two continued to put up the area quietly; both worried that they would disturb the sleeping beauty. Zuko absentmindedly began to hum a tune his uncle had sang many times before—Girls from Ba Sing Se.

"Zuko, I say this because I care for your future. It is unwise to develop romantic feelings for that girl. I do not see her intentionally harming you, but love is a dangerous emotion to toy with."

"Uncle, what are you suggesting? She's just a girl that I know nothing about."

"That is what Lu Ten said weeks before he fell in love with that girl's sister," Iroh gravely sighed.

"You're being biased."

"Perhaps I am, nephew, but I strongly recommend that she does not travel with you."

"That's up to her. She may enjoy your company instead."

Iroh grunted in response. He already knew his warning was too late. The flickering spark he saw pass between the two after they had acknowledged one another was hard to ignore.


End file.
